Thursday, April 24, 2008

Local Production (Oakland): Living in the Mainstream Ain't Easy

Got this in my Inbox and thought it sounded very interesting:

WHAT: "Living in the Mainstream Ain't Easy": THE MS. K.I.A. CHRONICLES, A Griot's Tale of Survival in America
WHO: Written, Directed, and Performed by Pippa Fleming Produced and Photographed by Grace Villarin Duenas
WHEN: Two shows only:
Saturday, June 21, 2008. Show at 8pm;
Sunday, June 22, 2008. Artist's Reception at 5:30 pm, Show at 7:30 pm.
WHERE:
Laney College Theatre
900 S. Fallon Street, Oakland, CA 94607
For directions call 510.834.5740. BART Accessible!

WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Journey with Ms. K.I.A., a griot* from days of old, as she is teleported from the past into a modern cabaret.
Weaving ritual, dance, theatre and song, Ms. K.I.A. mystically catapults her audience into a current reality that leaves spectators trying to catch their breaths, as they become part of a cultural revolution.

* griot \gre-o\ or jali is a Western African poet, praise singer and wandering musician considered to be a repository of oral tradition.

HOW TO GET TICKETS: Reservation line: 510.712.3242 or email tickets@pippafleming.com

HOW MUCH: Sunday, June 22nd Artist's Reception: $15, General seating: $30 Premiere, $25 Orchestra; $20 Balcony; $20 students and seniors

My Andrew Lloyd Webber American Idol recap

In case you're interested in what I thought of the American Idol Top 6 tackling Andrew Lloyd Webber (and what I think of ALW himself) you can read my recap over on my personal blog.

You might find a hint in my opening paragraph:

"Bias check: Yup, I'm one of those effete musical theatre snobs who idolizes Sondheim and loathes Andrew Lloyd Webber."

If you're one to, enjoy.

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Sunday, April 20, 2008

Sunday in the Park review...better late than never

OK, took me a while to get around to it, but I've finally posted my review of the Broadway revival of Sunday in the Park with George on my personal blog.

Enjoy.

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Friday, April 11, 2008

Couple of local productions to check out

Got a few emails announcing local productions that are off my typical beaten path. Check them out...and report back if you do!

Production #1:

WHAT: Brenda Wong Aoki & Mark Izu present: Ghosts and Girls The Legend of the Morning Glory
WHEN: Friday April 25 at 8pm & Saturday 26 at 2pm matinee
WHERE: Jewish Community Center, Kanbar Hall (3200 California St. @ Presidio), San Francisco
HOW MUCH: $25.00 Public, $22.00 Member, $15 Student (***Student groups of 14 or more, receive the group rate of $13/ticket plus receive one free ticket for a chaperone.)

WHAT'S IT ABOUT: Ghosts and Girls is a haunting love tale that tells a story about a power samurai’s daughter who meets and falls in love with a boy from a poor family. Despite her father’s attempts to have her marry one of his rich suitors, the girl is forever determined to marry the poor boy when his love poem about the morning glory blows into her boat. Wanting to marry the poor boy, she runs away to a world outside her father’s castle and becomes the Morning Glory, an itinerant storyteller gamer for her tale of lost love.

FOR MORE INFO:
Jordan Shapiro (415) 292-1299 Ext. 1106
JCC SF Box Office (415) 292-1233
www.jccsf.org/arts
For past First Voice videos, please visit out YouTube page at www.youtube.com/BrendaAokiMarkIzu


Production #2:

WHAT: Triple Shot Productions presents Riches by award-winning playwright Lee Blessing
WHEN: Throughout April
Fridays at 8 p.m.: April 11, 18, 25
Saturdays at 8 p.m.: April 12, 19, 26 (closing night)
Sundays at 2 p.m.: April 13, 20
Thursdays at 8 p.m.: April 17, 24
WHERE: The Phoenix Theatre, 414 Mason Street cross Geary, San Francisco, California, 94103
HOW MUCH: $20.00

WHAT'S IT ABOUT: Riches portrays an "everything is right" marriage in which the “everything” goes horribly wrong. "Riches" reunites "Dollhouse" collaborators Andi Trindle (Nora), Dan Wilson (Dr. Rank) and Bahati Bonner, the director of "Dollhouse." "Riches" stars Ms. Trindle and Mr. Wilson, each critically acclaimed in their most recent projects, as the troubled couple Mr. and Mrs. Rich. Bahati Bonner once again lends her masterful directorial hand to the project.

FOR MORE INFO: Tickets are now available online: http://www.tripleshotproductions.org/Current_production.html

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Saturday, April 05, 2008

Broadway revival: Sunday in the Park with George

A full review will have to wait until I'm back home, but I did want to say that I saw the current Broadway revival of Sunday in the Park with George this afternoon, and really enjoyed it.

Sweeney Todd may still be my favorite Sondheim show, well, in fact my favorite musical, but Sunday's score is so incredibly and achingly beautiful. Just hearing certain chords makes my eyes well up with tears, and I continue to find the show's contemplative perspective on love and art and creation so moving.

This is one of those times in the year when Broadway collects on behalf of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, and they had the actual sketches the actor who plays George made during the performance. I donated $60 to get a sketch of the two dogs. Really cute.

As I said, full review pending...

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Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Tabard takes over Theatre on San Pedro Square

Hat tip to the Merc's Arts & Entertainment blog for the article on Tabard Theatre Company taking over the theatre space on San Pedro Square.

Taking back the hat tip, though, in light of the fact they couldn't bring themselves to link to the actual theatre company:

Tabard Theatre Company web site

Come on mainstream media bloggers, it's not print...you can hyperlink, m'kay?

Does this mean Gary De Mattei's latest theatre venture is not working out, or did they find another space?

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